Secrets of The Motorway - M61

[@goldeneddie]

I wonder if people appreciate not just the content, but the clever way you keep the sound of your voice levelled consistently throughout the video, despite constantly changing venues and background noise levels. Well played Sir!

[@jonathanpork-sausage617]

The genius of making the mundane enthralling. This channel is something.

[@Torahboy1]

Yes, agreed But would you want to travel four hours in a car with this guy?

[@Rhythm24inch]

Haha its still genius in context, 98% of YT is bile, there's a few that stand out a mile, this guys definitely one of em, boldandbankrupt is another completely different one.

[@Torahboy1]

@@Rhythm24inch Try ‘techmoan’

[@lukesargeant7558]

@@Rhythm24inch wasn't he allegedly lying in order to be a sex pest? Saying he was rich ect while going to poor Russian villages and then having sex with women who thought he wanted to marry them

[@Rhythm24inch]

@@lukesargeant7558 😂🤣 I have no idea, never heard that one before, I'm guessing he's not the first guy to do that though. I was on about his video content though not the content of his pants!

[@sheepdemon1982]

Mate your right shoe is doing a good impression of the UKs standard road surface. More holes than a tory explanation of a garden party.

[@uutarn]

I didn't think anyone could make motorways interesting... I was wrong. Well played good sir.

[@RSCOZZY]

Genius use of the 80's Catchphrase theme, with a winding out camera shot used in many programs of the same era! Very nicely done mate 👏👏👌👌

[@eggy77]

Ah, knew it was familiar but couldn't remember what

[@markotango54]

I live in Preston and work in Manchester so for the past 20 years I've certainly given that Motorway some use

[@PatGilliland]

Coffee, castles and epic outro music - perfect Sunday

[@HPsawus]

I get childishly excited whenever he covers somewhere near me

[@roblancs]

I completely forgot about puddletown pirates. Thanks for the memories

[@JMH7506]

Crap week, but your videos always make me feel a lot better. Thank you for what you do.

[@jonathanpork-sausage617]

Same here. Crap day. Had egg and chips for lunch, watched a video about excess deaths, then this! Saved it! Hope the coming week is better for you.

[@JMH7506]

@@jonathanpork-sausage617 don’t even get me started on that subject buddy. Hence, the crap week. Need some serious distraction from all the other stuff going on under our noses.

[@BasedDep]

Average Brit😫

[@jonathanpork-sausage617]

@@JMH7506 Yes to all that. Life is like some bad dystopian TV series from the 1980s. Go steady!

[@JMH7506]

@@jonathanpork-sausage617 by the way, I had egg and chips on Friday night. I share your passion buddy.

[@Grozhevski]

Neither do I drive a car nor live in UK but somehow I subscribed and watch these regularly! that's how good the channel is

[@vincentstuer]

I ain't even British but i love these

[@pauldudeuk]

This brews going cold :-D also Lord Leverhulme built a massive bungalow atop of Rivington pike which overlooked the castle and reservoir which then got burnt down by the suffragette movement, it had a sprung dance floor and Japanese waterfall gardens which still exists, they're beautiful! Cheers for all these videos dude if you see a silver audi pomping at you it's probably me lol

[@bustedfender]

I’m trying to sneak “Worsley braided interchange” into every conversation today.

[@segapc1994]

that ending was perfect.

[@dazzlerbob1870]

Love The ending of the video's. All those old TV theme tunes takes me back.

[@fluffymitten]

Glad I stayed for the title music! There's a blast from the past

[@shed12345]

Botany Bay used to have a few ex military equipment stored there. Including 2 tanks which could be seen from the motorway. Was one if those things I'd look out for as a kid whenever we was passing.

[@SpringsteenRecordings]

Finishing up the vid at Denham Quarry love it

[@davidfisher3273]

Always an education

[@franktuckwell196]

Fascinating stuff. When i was doing my apprenticeship in 1970/75 a friend of mine worked for the Ministry of Transport, motorways section. Quite often he would go out on fact finding tours of different bits of roads all over the UK and tell me tales as to what was planned, or being built or going around. Most users just drive on them and never consider the logistics of either construction or the planning so that all bits join together seemlessly.

[@norrisplays1565]

As someone who has to use the M61, to merge onto the M60 to get to work in Manchester, the traffic (as seen in the drone shots) is no joke from 6.30am till around 11am, don't get me wrong its a satisfying basket weave design, but I feel like that motorway network wasn't designed to support the majority of Greater Manchester's traffic. Loving the Videos John, so excited to see the M60.

[@nowster]

That's because the M62 relief road was never built. The M60 section between Simister and Eccles is carrying the traffic of two motorways (local "ring road" traffic and long distance Lancs/Yorks traffic), and the Worsley bit is only three lanes in the anticlockwise direction.

[@jcrigg]

The traffic was the same 10 years ago when I used to have to commute from Preston to Cheadle each day and nothing has changed since. They spent years working on the managed motorway on the m60 and it made zero difference to the queues on the m61 southbound. It’s an impossible journey to do. The m62 needs it’s own by bypass of the whole section.

[@chicklechives]

The section is doing 3 jobs - main east west motorway - Manchester ring road - radial motorway There's no way it can be anything except a nightmare

[@ulazygit]

@@chicklechives isn’t this the blueprint for modern motorways?

[@jcrigg]

@@chicklechives 100%. If ever there were a levelling up scheme required, sorting this stretch of road would be it.

[@bobjackson6524]

Brilliant. One of the best that was. Thank you.

[@AlexWJ93]

Botany Bay was the must fun place as a kid.

[@Kevin-mx1vi]

Yep, used to take my kids there and they loved it.

[@emmabh2166]

Wasn’t it just! It was such great fun 🙌🏼

[@alopexlagopus1488]

This is just a comment that adds one to your comment count because every comment counts. Oh, and I also hit that specific button, because I liked it. Been subscribed for over a year (including the ding), but somehow I never saw this one when it first came out. The algorithm fed it to me today. 'Worsley Braided Interchange' is a phrase I never knew I needed. Thankyou John, please continue to do what you do.

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

Another fantastic and informative video mate, just love binge watching and catching up on these.

[@robsant6582]

Love the ending. Just the right amount of cheese. I don't know how you've made videos about the motorway so interesting but keep it up. Love your style.

[@uzijn]

Another great video.

[@leepritchard]

I was on the other side of Rivington reservior recently and someone told me about Liverpool Castle. Thought they were joking haha, clearly not. Interesting to learn it's connection to the Rivington terrace gardens.

[@patrickwalsh2086]

Fascinating! I never knew there was a “Liverpool Castle” 😀

[@Dan23_7]

I live about 5 miles from it, it’s an interesting place plus miles and miles of lovely walks.

[@fenlinescouser4105]

KZbin Wirral Channel has a brief history kzbin.info/www/bejne/qH_UomCedtGSfq8

[@pigeonpoo1823]

I run round rivington quite often and had no clue it even exists.

[@tonycutty598]

There's also a Leeds Castle, but it's in Kent. Go figure?

[@Dan23_7]

@@tonycutty598 I’ve seen the signage for it when I’ve been down that way.

[@arthuralford]

It's Sunday, and I'm watching a video about a road in another country, by a bloke who I'd actually share a pint with. I'm happy

[@RobertAgarHutton]

I love the randomness of KZbin's suggestion algorithm - and I enjoyed this video too.

[@martynholt7434]

I've been waiting for this one. My local motorway. Liverpool Castle is just a short walk away and was the place to hang out with a few cans when I was a teenager. Loving the videos.

[@Foxstar1387]

As someone who lived in Chorley from birth in 87 till 2018. Preston Leyland and Chorley are treated like a city in the way the councils block together on things. Though Preston still eats up a nearly 90% of the funds

[@teeKeri]

Such a lovely ending to this video. 👋

[@primalengland]

I live in Horwich, about a mile from Liverpool Castle. It’s one of my daily dog walks. I also have a few videos on my channel about the castle and the history of Lord Leverhulme’s Rivington.

[@egpx]

The Worsley Braided Interchange got the nickname ‘Spaghetti Junction’ when it was completed. A couple of years later the Gravelly Hill Interchange opened in Birmingham and stole the Spaghetti Junction moniker. Naughty Brummies.

[@family_adventure23]

wow, that preston, chorley and horwitch supercity is for me like dejavu because in my country soviet union was planning to do something similar thing. They wanted connect 6 cities in to one huge metropol.

[@highpath4776]

The larger Preston area super-city also explains the size of Preston Bus Station for the number of bays as more routes to the new housing of the enlarged area were expected, but never came into being

[@davidtraynor8075]

With that lovely catchphrase end music I was expecting the voiceover guy to tell me I'd won a weekend cycling trip in the Midlands or a Teasmaid, imagine my disappointment when I found out I hadn't :(

[@themoodyteam]

Thanks, there’s a lot of planning and effort gone into this vid 😊

[@6thdayblue59]

Thanks

[@Eurobunneh]

I live in Chorley and miss Botany Bay as it was, we’d go regularly for a meal and check out the stores.

[@andymoss]

I was born and raised in Worsley so this one is close to my heart. Eagerly awaiting the M63, erm, M60 episode.

[@AutoShenanigans]

I dont even know where to start with the m60!

[@andymoss]

@@AutoShenanigans Worsley!

[@BeasleyStreet]

​@@AutoShenanigans Simister Island!!!

[@DT100]

Great to see you visited Denham Quarry in Brindle for the end shot… my home village, and my Mum grew up in the farm opposite 😊

[@Roaming50]

The thing I love about this series is the interesting historical context for why things are and the stuff around.

[@bobspeller2225]

Another good story of Motorway life and history. John, you are doing a great job.. Bob

[@stevekelly5166]

Cheers "--- JON ---" Watching a day late, but I did laugh at the ending 🙂 I follow you videos with Google maps on another monitor and keep pausing to explore virtually on Streetview, as though I was there.

[@billygray8863]

I get soo excited when i spot that there's a new video up. Thanks John for another exciting episode of secrets of the motorway. CHEERS! :)

[@andrewduncan3487]

Travel by motorway between Eccles and Chorley, each home to their eponymous cakes, and at the half way point, you will pass Chew Moor.

[@Cpr1234]

8:05 That sounds very close to the Catchphrase theme!

[@dickoon]

It's the original Catchphrase theme from 1986, and approaching forty years later it remains a banger of which Wall's would be proud.

[@RaveTracks]

It's the original version from back in the 80s

[@Dan23_7]

@@RaveTracks 🙋🏽….. I’m old enough to remember it 😂

[@RaveTracks]

@@Dan23_7 me too ha ha

[@pauldevenish]

I'm old enough to remember this theme. Roy Walker making that programme.

[@jonathonbrett-qn1ic]

Brilliant filming

[@aircooledmatters2291]

You're getting close to the greatest motorway in the country, The M62, can't wait for that one! Great channel, love the sarcasm and humour, keep up the good work.

[@AutoShenanigans]

Yeah I should really get on and get the M62 done really :D

[@Craigevansagain]

Whilst since December 1997 it is mostly just an industrial and residential link road serving Walton Summit and Clayton respectively, from January 1995 through December 1997, the "Walton Summit Motorway" spur had the very important job of carrying the vast majority of the traffic travelling between the centre of Preston and Manchester and beyond via the M61. This was to avoid the Broughton and Samlesbury interchanges as well as the M6 between junctions 30 and 32 getting completely clogged up whilst the simultaneous roadworks to both widen the M6 Preston Bypass from D3/D3M to D4M standard (including the complete reconstruction of Samlesbury interchange) and construct the M65 between junctions 1a and 6 took place. With the M65 now completed between junctions 1a and 6, the M65 between junctions 1a and 2 now forms the main link between the centre of Preston and Manchester and beyond via the M61. Interestingly the M65 between the A6 overbridge at Clayton and junction 2 follows the exact line of the original 1987-1995 all-purpose version of the Walton Summit spur which had previously been the main link between the centre of Preston and the M61 to Manchester and beyond.

[@xxxyz721]

Used to hang around at that castle back in the day. Cycled all the way from Ashton (I-M) to rivington:).

[@Snowy1of1]

What a coincidence, we were at Liverpool Castle yesterday! Yes Im fairly local and use these roads and Mways you have in this video. Nice to see this here and it's little secrets put out there for all to see. The big interchange is a difficult one to master for some, as the traffic coming from the M60 joins the M61 were the 4 lanes are, you see the odd motorists faces full of fear. These 2 junctions fill with water when it rains hard and the hard shoulder, 1st and 2nd lanes become standing ponds of danger. On early evenings anyone wanting to head down anticlockwise M61 at the interchange will come across standing traffic from junction 4 right round junction 3, usually I will be heading Clockwise on the M61 and will go past the stationary traffic. Busy times of the day can see junction 5 become grid locked, which fouls up the surrounding A roads and similarly Junction 6 does the same with many vehicles coming from the retail park, which on the opposite side has a business sector with EON and other companies there who all leave at the same time causing madness heading towards Junction 6. After Junction 6 it is a nicer Motorway for a while, as you climb towards Chorley. I was coming down the M61 one day in torrential rain, big thunderstorm had hit the area. I was on my Motorbike and had to use the middle lane to avoid the deepest water, this caused cars to try and pass me. I remember the huge lightening which lit up the entire sky, the road and surrounding fields, I wish I had a camera running at that time as it was beautiful. I got soaked through as vehicles passing would launch tidal waves over me as I descended the hill, what fun I had that day! Thanks for the shenanigans!

[@davewalkden9978]

Heading northbound, the whole M60/M61 interchange situation would be a lot more tolerable if people didn't panic & try & swap lanes as soon as they hit the bend. You've got the best part of another mile to do it safely but everybody appears to shit their pants & think they've got to get across as soon as they hit the junction.

[@robertgorsuch5457]

Ayyyyy love that you've made it to one of my local motorways that i use quite often. Fun to learn about things ive never really known about and ive never actually thought about how complex the start of the motorway really is even though i use it pretty much every day 😅

[@TheOracle65]

Another great video, lots of motorway info plus castles that are not castles, unbuilt junctions and non-existent megacities. All served up with John's brilliant deadpan delivery and topped off with an epic, cheesy 1990's daytime TV aerial departure shot. Masterful entertainment.

[@joebryant5722]

I think the closing music is catchphrase!?

[@robertbrown6930]

You have somehow become Britain's coolest geography teacher!!

[@AutoShenanigans]

That reminds me... I must get a tweed jacket with leather elbow patches.

[@AdamMGTF]

"they clearly weren't hanging around". Built in a year. Meanwhile in 2023, there's been a barrier up and a 50mph limit for road works for over a year... On one corner of the A19.

[@MrPreston1179]

Nice to see my local area from another perspective Jon. That outro, with views around Denham Quarry, is the best I've ever seen. Fantastic! 👍

[@nicklowe536]

Just by the middle rook centre and Bolton Wanderers ground there is an odd hill with trees on it this is relatively new. The m61 is mainly raised so no chance to use the full from cuttings on areas needing filling. The solution was to buy a hill off a farmer use it to build the m61. They then used the missing hill as a dump taking Manchesters waste for years . Now it has trees and looks lovely no one would know it's history

[@nagualdesign]

Nicely done.

[@UKVampy]

This is next to my high school that no longer exists anymore, Worsley Wardley High. A new school is there now not sure of the name.

[@rechnin6680]

Catchphrase! I clearly watched too much TV!

[@David_Crayford]

Good to hear your views on design standards. The castle "folly" clearly parallels the nature of motorway building in terms of unfinished projects, retired planners and dead engineers.

[@SiRhodesDriverTraining]

Thanks for the shout out mate. Glad you managed to squeeze all the info into the video. I now appreciate how much preparation work must go into these videos as it must have taken a while to get between the locations. For example, at 2:50 you are directly behind my house and that footpath there takes some finding 🤣

[@johnenfield1930]

Are the services on the M61 the only motorway service area to have had two name changes? From Anderton to Bolton West and then to Rivington. At least Bolton West gave non-locals an idea of where they are! I used to be a non-local, but now I live in Lostock Hall, not to be confused with Lostock, near Bolton....

[@whyyoulidl]

Thanks!

[@justjosh11]

Ah yes, the mill. I once drove a couple of hours to meet a guy selling his mitsubishi 300zx at the mill. He took me for a spin up and down the motorway but it wasn't for me. Cool car though

[@slatzuk]

You finished the video in Denham Quarry. If I remember correctly you were at the top of a climbing route called Mohammed the Mad Monk from Moorside Home for Mental Misfits. Seems quite apt.

[@ipb1966]

And the fun of the criss crossing traffic from the M60 to the M61/A666. Pick a lane - any lane.

[@dave_h_8742]

Hate that fecking junction trying to get over with cars doing 90 is terrifying and i live by switch island ! Maybe a flyover from Maghull to Dunnings bridge rd ?

[@ipb1966]

@@dave_h_8742 Council Meeting: “It’s been at least a year since we last changed Switch Island, what should we do to it next?”

[@dave_h_8742]

@@ipb1966 🤣 Flyover to brooms cross and return it to an island shape with lights on all but flyover and slip rds off flyover to A59

[@Codeeze]

Thanks Jon, I'm very well, and it's been a wicked, sweet, awesome week. Thanks for asking.

[@derrenleepoole]

Bloody hell, go walking around Rivington and had no idea that castle was there! I'll go have a mooch.

[@anthonywhite721]

Is this song at the end catchphrase with the original old presenter that brings back memories from Saturday night TV God I wish I was in the 90s again proper game shows good TV proper days they were

[@RichardWatt]

I think the original presenter was Roy Walker.

[@whyyoulidl]

@@RichardWatt IIRC he turned down being the next 007 for Catchphrase...

[@MrKpsuk84]

8:00 Catchphrase! (With Roy 'say what you see' Walker) 😀

[@skiddmarks]

Denham quarry at the end ❤️

[@adrianrutterford762]

As a regular taxi service for a student in Lancaster. I’m pleased to learn that the big building is Botany Bay Mill.

[@aussiejezza]

5:55 You sounding quite aussie there

[@jacekatalakis8316]

Was up there last week heading north. Oh I hate that braided interchange so, so, so much

[@infidelcastro5129]

1:27 Take THAT flat-earthers 😂

[@dave_h_8742]

They would have an excuse. He faked it as he's in NASA's pocket etc....

[@IAMPLEDGE]

@@dave_h_8742 speaking as Jon's accountant I can confirm that he is in the pay of NASA. Luckily for me, Jon isn't the brightest spark so I get to kept 110% of the NASA payments. That helps fund my spherical scepticism...

[@dearjonboy]

ace that you mentioned Leyland

[@squish_nerd]

I've been waiting for this for a long time as I live near the M61 and I coincidentally went to the Liverpool Castle last week! I had to do a little research and realised it was fake. Great vid👍

[@whyyoulidl]

Fake mews lol!

[@tomthompson7400]

What a great video , well done.

[@poneill65]

Eagerly awaiting your presentation on 20th century telegraph poles. 🙂

[@GingerKiwiDev]

Hello from Toronto, Canada. Here we have the busiest highway/motorway in the world - the 401. It's 18 lanes wide + 4 lanes of ramps by Pearson Airport in Mississauga (just to the west of Toronto). It carries about 1/2 million people every day. Check out the tv show/clips of "Heavy Rescue 401" to see what driving on it and dealing with the accidents are like. I wish we had train service like the UK here! (Yes, even with the strikes and delays.) Love your channel!

[@NSBarnett]

Your videos are great!

[@damedavidfrith55]

Thanks for another cracking vlog very interesting 🧐

[@BeasleyStreet]

Junction 5, the octagonal red brick house on the northbound side was once owned by Lisa Stansfield...

[@americanidiot1088]

Another stonking episode, I love your vids......John, you da Man!!

[@andyyouell5037]

Thanks John - top, spiffing, fabulous.....as usual.

[@markunderwood6246]

I worked on the M61 McAlpines job based at Chorley on the Blackburn Road 69/70

[@ontheroad_again]

The ending was so brilliantly cheesy it gave me flashbacks to 70s/80s America TV shows 🤣 Luved it 👍👍👍

[@tobyjackman3212]

This is the best video I've ever seen about anything

[@msamour]

All right, so between You, Jago, Geoff Marshall, David (Cruising the Cut), and a few others, you are Covering all means of Transportation in England. I'm sure the Chinese and the Russians are taking notes...

[@nowster]

The north terminus of the M61 joining the M6 used to be a game of chicken against a railway bridge with too-short slip roads which merged just before that bridge. There were inevitably traffic jams back along the M61 until the M6 was widened and the junction enlarged.

[@adammcardle]

Oooh my local motorway 😁

[@Dan23_7]

Me too. Leyland me

[@Slugsie1]

Yay, one of the 4 motorways that are part of my daily commute.

[@Stephens8x6Workshop]

Now you're on my turf (ha ha). Used to work at Botany Bay when it was a truck sales and servicing company (Gilbraith Commercials) in the mid 1980's. The business shrank and disappeared after the death of one of its totalitarian overlords. It was and currently still is an impressive building but I fear the millennial pencil d1cks will soon change all that.

[@AutoShenanigans]

Pencil dicks... :D I lol'ed

[@greaze.]

went to a sick rave by Daylight Robbery at Rivington Castle in 2009, policeee in eelliicopter!